Participating

A "participating" committee refers to a technical committee in which Canada participates actively, and in which Canada has an obligation to vote on all submitted questions.

Observing

When a committee has "observing" status, it means that Canada follows the work of the committee as an observer and cannot make any comments about the development process or vote on any of the submitted questions.

Standby

Committees that are in "standby" status have no work item in progress, nor foreseen for the future, but are required to continually review the standards for which they are responsible. 

Please make sure to tell the HR representative of your special accommodation needs when you are contacted for an interview.

Although we do retain all applications received, we recommend that you apply to a specific position that is advertised that suits your qualifications.

1. Review applications
2. Compile short-list of candidates
3. Phone screen interviews
4. Conduct interviews
5. Check references
6. Offer employment
7. Advise interviewed candidates not selected

No, it has not. Any organization interested in SCC accreditation is assessed against the same requirements that apply to all SCC-accredited SDOs.

SCC-accredited SDOs are fully expected to continue their long-standing coordination practice to avoid duplication within the Canadian standards development environment and to promote opportunities for harmonization wherever possible.

The Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations directly address possible duplication of standards in the system (Clause 4.3, Avoiding Duplication):

“SDOs shall make every effort to address the need of the Canadian stakeholder(s) and to not duplicate or overlap with the work of other SDOs, or relevant international or regional SDOs.”

The Duplication Resolution Mechanism was updated as part of the 2017 revision of the Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations with the goal of reaching a timely outcome and a decision that is responsive to Canadian stakeholder needs. These updates include a more proactive role for SCC to facilitate discussions between SDOs, the introduction of specific evaluation criteria, a clearer complaint and appeal process, and a compliance and verification process with Action Plan (issued following SCC decision on duplication).

SCC’s role is to support the standardization priorities of government and industry in Canada, and, as such, welcome comments and suggestions by stakeholders on approaches to avoid duplication of efforts.

A list of those technical committees of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) where Canada participates is available from the ISO website.

Canada's committee participation in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) can likewise be found online by visiting the IEC website.

SCC coordinates Canada's participation in international committee work through its Member Program.

Committee forums are intended for use by committee members only. The Standards Council of Canada has created these electronic tools as a means to coordinate committee work and other standardization activities. Access to these forums is restricted to authorized users.

A username and password are assigned to committee members upon successful completion of the application process.

For more information, visit our Stakeholder Participation page.

Forgot your password?

1. Review applications
2. Compile short-list of candidates
3. Phone screen interviews
4. Conduct interviews
5. Offer volunteer position to candidate

Candidates wishing to apply for a volunteer position are required to be either a Canadian citizen or resident of Canada, or working for a Canadian organization. 

SCC represents Canada in key regional and international standardization forums, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). SCC offers technical support and advice to Canadian government and industry on trade issues related to standardization.

SCC recruits business experts, scientists, engineers, technologists and standardization professionals to sit on key ISO and IEC technical committees. These experts inject a Canadian perspective into international standards. Their participation is key to promoting trade, stimulating our economy, and protecting the health and safety of citizens here in Canada, and around the world. 

If you are interested in getting involved in standardization  join one of our committees.

All Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) adhere to the same SCC standards development, or adoption, requirements. As part of these requirements, SDOs must include technical experts and stakeholders who will be affected by the standard in their technical committees when developing standards. As a result, any SDO can develop a standard in any area.

SCC accredited SDOs are expected to coordinate their work to avoid duplication within the Canadian standards development environment and to promote opportunities for harmonization wherever possible. 

The accreditation requirements outlined in Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations directly address possible duplication of standards in the system (consult Section 4, Requirement 4.3, Avoiding Duplication), and were clarified and strengthened by including statements such as:

“The SDO accreditation requirements are in line with accepted international standards best practices derived from the World Trade Organization, Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO/TBT), Annex 3 provisions, ISO/IEC Guide 59 Code of good practice for standardization, and the following Canadian principles: consensus; equal access and effective participation by concerned interests; respect for diverse interests and identification of those who should be afforded access to provide the needed balance of interests; mechanism for dispute resolution; openness and transparency; open access by interested parties to the procedures guiding the standards development process; clarity with respect to the processes; Canadian interest consideration as the basis for the development of standards by SDOs; and avoiding duplication of standards or overlap with the work of other SDOs or with the work of relevant international or regional SDOs.” (Page 4)

SCC’s role is to support the standardization priorities of government and industry in Canada. As such, we welcome comments and suggestions by industry on approaches to avoid duplication of efforts and on our role in managing subject area recognition. Visit our Contact Us page to provide comments.

Canada’s national standardization network is the network of people and organizations involved in voluntary standards development, promotion and implementation in Canada.

There are hundreds of organizations accredited by SCC to look after the day-to-day work of standards development, certification of persons, calibration and proficiency testing, management systems registration, and auditor training and certification.

Other government and non-governmental bodies also take part in the national standardization network. Some of these participate in accreditation programs as SCC partners. Others work on standards-related issues such as international trade agreements.

Almost 15,000 volunteers from industry, government, non-governmental organizations and the general public are involved in developing standards. Volunteers also provide their expertise to accreditation programs and advisory committees. Even the members of SCC’s Governing Council are volunteers. The employers who support the work of these volunteers are important contributors to the national standardization network.

SCC protects the integrity of ISO and IEC standards in Canada and prevents their unauthorized reproduction. A business or organization who wants to share a standard with its employees or reproduce the standard, in whole or in part, or a student who wants to reproduce part of a standard for their thesis may request permission from SCC.

For information on reproducing or sharing ISO or IEC standards, visit Buy Standards. For any other standard, we recommend that you contact the relevant standards developer directly.

Academic Institutions

SCC provides a valuable service to eligible academic institutions in Canada by offering access to ISO and IEC standards through its Standards in Education program. Direct, easy access to ISO and IEC standards helps students gain a better understanding of the standardization process, produce higher quality academic work and be better qualified to enter the workforce.

Visit the Standards in Education program for more information.

Non Academic Institutions

Any purchased standard will need permission in order to reproduce or copy.

It is possible to make ONE printed copy of a PDF standard with purchase of a PDF standard.

Additional hard copies beyond the one hard copy one is entitled to upon purchase, permission must be received from SCC and a royalty fee paid. 

If you wish to post the electronic version of the standard on a company's intranet, you will need to obtain permission from SCC and pay a royalty fee.  The fee depends on a number of factors such as; the number of people who will have access to the standard, the number of addresses (offices) where the standard will be available, and which standards you wish to post

In order to receive permission to reproduce or copy a standard, contact csd@scc.ca.

Valid

An ORD with a status of Valid has been recognized by a Canadian regulatory authority body and has been provided to SCC for inclusion in the ORD database.

Expired

An ORD with a status of Expired has exceeded its five-year validity period. All certifications issued to this document while it was valid are still acceptable. No new certifications to this document shall be granted.

Withdrawn

An ORD with a status of Withdrawn has been rescinded by its authoring organization. No new certifications to this document shall be granted.

A standard may be withdrawn if it:

• is not technically up-to-date
• does not reflect current practice or research
• is not suitable for new and existing applications (products, systems or processes)
• is not compatible with current views and expectations regarding quality, safety and the environment

This status is also used if:

• the standard is withdrawn and not replaced by the author for any of the reasons mentioned above
• there has been a change in the standard designation (e.g. if CSA A1234-2000 is superseded by CSA B5678-2005)

Superseded

An ORD with a status of Superseded has been replaced by another document. No new certifications to this document shall be granted.

Notes:

An ORD with a status of Valid will automatically change to Expired once the expiry date has passed.

When an ORD status indicates Superseded, you will find the details on the new document in the “Superseded By” field.

Standardization is the development and application of standards. It includes:

• the work of the committees that develop standards
• the publication of standards by standards development organizations
• the recognition of standards by national standards bodies such as SCC
• the application of standards by businesses, suppliers and customers
• the verification that products or services conform to applicable standards (conformity assessment)
• the accreditation of organizations that provide conformity assessment services
• the use of standards and conformity assessment as an element in public policy as well as in international trade

For more information, visit SCC’s orientation module Introduction to Standards and the Standards Council of Canada.

This program specialty area (PSA) applies to the accreditation of laboratories conducting tests and measurements on threaded fasteners and providing services that support fastener production, such as plating, producers of material destined for fastener manufacture, and commercial laboratories offering testing services. Testing conducted in the fasteners PSA is divided into five major areas:

• Chemical analysis
• Mechanical and physical testing and inspection
• Non-destructive inspection
• Dimensional inspection
• Metallography

Any complaints with an accredited organization must be submitted in writing to that organization. If it is not handled to the satisfaction of the complainant, it can be raised with SCC. SCC will review the accredited organization’s handling of the complaint from a process perspective. Please note that SCC can only deal with complaints regarding the requirements (standards) to which the organization is accredited, and not in matters such as invoicing and compensation.

Contact SCC to determine if your existing accreditation can be transferred. If the accreditation body you are transferring from is a recognized signatory of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), the process of transferring is that much easier.

A regulator enforces standards, codes or regulations and has legal power and governance over the regulation. An accreditation body has no such mandate or power. Accreditation is done on a voluntary basis, but accreditation can be mandated by regulators.

The sale of uncertified electrical equipment may be unlawful, depending on the type of equipment and the jurisdiction it is being sold within. The regulator for the region will have more information on what the restrictions are and how to report attempts to sell unapproved equipment. Contact the Safety Authority Branch in your province (e.g., Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Ontario) or, if the product is a consumer product, please contact the Consumer Product Safety Act Directorate.

SCC is a non-profit Crown Corporation and fees for its accreditation programs are in place for cost-recovery purposes. Each applicant pays an application fee and an assessment fee. Once accredited, a customer pays an annual fee and is responsible for the fees of the reassessment activities carried out by SCC. Travel and accommodation costs of the assessment team are aligned with Treasury Board of Canada guidelines. These fees are presented more specifically in the Fee Structure annexes of the program-specific Accreditation Agreement which is available on request.

An organization considering accreditation should plan enough time to study applicable requirements (standards), ensure its quality management system is fully operational and that staff has been appropriately trained.

Visit our section on applying for SCC accreditation for more details.

SCC does not develop standards or verify the conformity of products or services to standards but rather accredits the organizations that do. To find a certification body, visit the appropriate accreditation program on our website. 

In principle, the vast majority of Canadian and international standards are voluntary.

In practice, the demands of the marketplace make many standards mandatory. A bolt manufacturer whose products do not fit a standard nut, for example, will probably not have many customers.

Buyers who want to assess whether their suppliers provide goods that conform to standards have a number of options. They may take supplier’s word for it. They may check the products themselves. They may also insist that the supplier ask an independent third party to verify the products conformity. These third parties often indicate conformity by putting their own label, or mark, on the product.

Government regulators make a standard mandatory by referring to it in legislation. Provincial and territorial electrical codes, for example, require electrical products to conform to Canadian electrical safety standards. Under these regulations, products cannot be sold unless they have been tested and certified by a recognized conformity assessment body.

One way of recognizing conformity assessment bodies is through accreditation. SCC is Canada’s national accreditation body for organizations that provide standards-related conformity assessment services.

For more information visit SCC’s orientation module, Accreditation: Where Standards, quality and conformity meet about the value and importance of accreditation. SCC also has a searchable directory of accredited certification bodies. 

Certificates issued by a certification body typically include an identifying logo of an accreditation body on them. Using the name on the logo, you can check the accreditation body’s website for a directory of accredited certification bodies. Contact the certification body that issued the certificate to verify its validity.

Certification bodies accredited by SCC are listed in SCC’s Directory of Accredited Certification Bodies, however it does not contain information on certificates issued by the certification bodies.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) offers accreditation to laboratories that perform the analysis of all media used in mining exploration and processing. SCC provides formal recognition of competence of laboratories conducting mineral and mineral assay analysis in support of the mining and mining exploration industries. In order to add even greater value to its accreditation program, SCC accredits both single-element and multiple-element test methods for a wide variety of metals. SCC offers accreditation in the following mineral analysis disciplines:

• sediments
• rocks
• ores
• metal products
• tailings
• water
• vegetation

SCC provides formal recognition of competence for laboratories calibrating measuring instruments and reference standards for areas of metrology, including:

• Acoustics and vibration
• Dimensional
• Electrical
• Frequency and time
• Ionizing radiation
• Mechanical
• Photometric and radiometric
• Temperature
• Other

For more information For more information, please contact SCC Accreditation Services at accreditation@scc.ca. Laboratories seeking accreditation under this program should apply directly to NRC/CLAS.

NRC/CLAS contact

Christine de Groot, P.Eng.
Leader, Assessment Services, NRC Metrology
christine.degroot@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca, 1-613-998-6813

Accreditation is the formal verification of an organization's competence to carry out a specific function. SCC is Canada’s national accreditation body. It accredits testing and calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, inspection bodies, greenhouse-gas verifiers and validators, and organizations that develop standards. SCC also accredits organizations that certify persons, as well as those that certify conformity of products, processes, systems and services.

Additionally, SCC is the only monitoring authority in Canada that grants recognition to the OECD Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) program.

Because SCC accreditation is based on internationally recognized criteria, SCC accreditation provides confidence and credibility in products, systems and services both in Canada and abroad.

For more information  visit SCC’s orientation module Accreditation: Where standards, conformity and quality meet.

An organization can self-proclaim certification or compliance to any standard.

While "self-certifying" or "self-declaring" compliance to a standard doesn't carry the same weight as third-party certification (e.g. SCC or CSA), organizations that do this are not actually doing anything wrong or illegal.

However, if you are concerned that a business is falsely claiming third-party certification, it is up to you to do your due diligence and verify the certification. For instance, if the organization says it is UL certified for ISO 9001, then UL would be able to verify that this is accurate.

To report such a situation, notify the owner of the logo or certification body. The certifying organization would then be responsible for ensuring the validity of the claim and for any next steps should the company be falsely claiming certification.

Any question or variation in a certification mark should be raised with the issuing body. Certificates issued by a certification body typically include an identifying logo of an accreditation body on them. Using the name on the logo, you can check the accreditation body’s website for a directory of accredited certification bodies. Contact the certification body that issued the certificate to verify its validity.

Certification bodies accredited by SCC are listed in SCC’s Directory of Accredited Certification Bodies, however it does not contain information on certificates issued by the certification bodies.

Canadian provincial and territorial regulators are responsible for regulating and enforcing gas and propane equipment and installations. Inspectors, contractors, distributors and manufacturers will ensure that the installation of natural gas and propane equipment, and storage and handling of propane, is in conformance with the CAN/CSA B149-10 Natural gas and propane installation code.

To review a list of provincial and territorial authorities responsible for gas-operated equipment, visit Code Authorities in Canada on the UL website.

Mandatory requirements for building products are the responsibility of the Canadian provincial and territorial code authorities. Below are links to each provincial building code authorities:

Alberta Building Code
British Columbia Building and Safety Standards
Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner
New Brunswick Environment and Land Planning
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Municipal Affairs
Northwest Territories Public Works and Services
Nova Scotia Building and Plumbing Code
Nunavut Protection Services
Ontario Building Code
Prince Edward Island Building and Development
Quebec Régie du bâtiment
Saskatchewan Building Standards and Licensing
Yukon Building Safety

For complete listing of Canadian provincial and territorial code authorities, visit the Code Authorities in Canada web page on the UL website.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) supports Canadians and Canadian businesses in a number of ways, most notably by overseeing and coordinating the work of Canada's standardization network.

The SCC operates numerous programs and services intended to promote efficient and effective standardization. SCC doesn't develop standards or verify the conformity of products or services to standards, but rather, it accredits the organizations that do. SCC also approves National Standards of Canada, represents Canada in international standards forums, and serves as Canada's key source for standards information.

For more information, visit our Accreditation Services page.

In Canada, information on importing and exporting can be obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency.

Information on requirements that apply to imported products (such as whether they need to be certified as meeting particular standards) can be obtained from government organizations that administer these requirements. To search for the relevant mandatory requirements that apply to your product, refer to the database on the Canadian Legal Information website.

As Canada’s standardization leader, SCC provides accreditation programs for laboratories, inspection bodies, product and personnel certifiers, and management systems certification bodies. Our accredited bodies will provide testing and certification services for organizations operating in a wide variety of industry sectors.

However, SCC does not have regulatory authority in its mandate. Any mandatory standards or specifications and related conformity assessment requirements need to be reviewed with the proper federal, provincial or territorial regulatory authority.

For technical questions on code requirements, we suggest contacting the Canadian provincial or territorial enforcing regulatory body or bodies, which can be found on the Code Authorities in Canada web page on the UL website.

In Canada, information on importing and exporting can be obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency.

Information on requirements that apply to imported products (such as whether they need to be certified as meeting particular standards) can be obtained from government organizations that administer these requirements. To search for the relevant mandatory requirements that apply to your product, refer to the database on the Canadian Legal Information website.

The Consumer Product Safety Directorate at Health Canada assists in the protection of Canadians by researching, assessing and collaborating in the management of the health risks and safety hazards of consumer products.

Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) allow organizations to implement, maintain, and continually improve their information security. ISMS manages the security of assets such as financial information and intellectual property.

The ISO/IEC 27000 series of standards are designed to cover organizations of all sizes, industries and nature. Due to this, there are dozens of standards within it. Some choose to implement these standards to take advantage of the best practices they provide, while others prefer to become fully certified. Certification reassures customers that all requirements are being followed completely.

SCC uses the criteria in ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 27006 to accredit certification bodies that assess and certify ISMS systems to the international standard ISO/IEC 27001.

Environmentally conscious consumers increasingly demand that their wood-based products come from sustainably farmed forests and that they are manufactured in an environmentally sound way. Certification to forestry management standards by an SCC-accredited body shows corporate social responsibility—a testament that the producer operates in a sustainable way that ensures a renewable supply of raw materials. SCC accredits organizations that certify to ATFS, SFI and CAN/CSA Z809. 

An anti-bribery management system can help organizations prevent, detect and address bribery. It helps to reduce the risk of bribery occurring and can demonstrate to clients and stakeholders that an organization has put in place internationally recognized good-practice anti-bribery controls. SCC can accredit certification bodies that audit to ISO 37001. 

A quality management system defines and establishes an organization’s quality policy, objectives and procedures. Quality management system standards do not provide specific quality indicators or describe ways of achieving them, since these will be different in every situation. Instead, they provide generic frameworks and general principles that can be applied to any organization, of any size, in any industry.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accredits certification bodies that assess and certify quality management systems to the international standard ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.

View expected Outcomes for Accredited Certification to ISO 9001 

SCC provides formal recognition of competence for laboratories calibrating measuring instruments and reference standards for areas of metrology, including:

• Acoustics and vibration
• Dimensional
• Electrical
• Frequency and time
• Ionizing radiation
• Mechanical
• Photometric and radiometric
• Temperature
• Other

The Standards Council of Canada’s (SCC) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program provides formal recognition of competence for laboratories carrying out environmental tests, and enables laboratories to better meet their obligations to regulators.

Approximately 120 parameters can be accredited within the following environmental fields of testing:

• Inorganics - water and soil
• Microbiology - water
• Occupational health - air filters
• Organics - water and soil
• PCB - oil
• Toxicology - water
• Other

SCC also offers accreditation to laboratories conducting drinking water testing under the Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act. Under the terms of its agreement with the Ontario provincial government, SCC assesses the ability of laboratories to perform drinking water tests, and is solely responsible for approval of their accreditation.

This program specialty area (PSA) applies to the accreditation of laboratories conducting tests and measurements on threaded fasteners and providing services that support fastener production, such as plating, producers of material destined for fastener manufacture, and commercial laboratories offering testing services.

Testing conducted in the fasteners PSA is divided into five major areas:

• Chemical analysis
• Mechanical and physical testing and inspection
• Non-destructive inspection
• Dimensional inspection
• Metallography

SCC offers accreditation for cannabis testing labs in Canada and beyond. The applicable standard is ISO/IEC 17025:2017 – General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. During the accreditation process, we can assess competence to perform multiple tests important to the cannabis industry, including but not limited to:

• Quantification of multiple types of cannabinoids, including THC, CBD, CBN, etc.
• Pesticide residue screening
• Analysis of loss due to drying
• Identification of male and female cannabis plants
• Microbial analysis of cannabis samples
• Determination and profiling of terpenes

Accredited laboratories typically operate more efficiently and produce more accurate test results. Accreditation also sends an important signal to customers that testing is based on the latest, most accurate, validated methods.